La Abuela

I’m picky about any establishment that proclaims Mexican food. More often than not, the best places are family owned with owners that honor their cuisine. This is one of those one of those delightful, family owned places. I ordered Tacos con Lengua (beef tongue). The tacos we’re filled with wonderful, succulent cubes of beef tongue. Sliced radish and a bit of crema were added and that was it. After 8 years of lousy Mexican food in Massachusetts, I look forward to future visits here.

There are so many great Mexican restaurants in Reading that I sometimes don’t even realize when a new one pops up right under my nose. That was the case with La Abuela.
It’s been open for, oh, five months now or thereabouts? And I literally drive by it every day on my way to work. My first two visits have been in the past three weeks. Better late than never, eh?
Not a lot of fanfare here — and it certainly ain’t fancy — but I’ve talked to people who have 1.) traveled to Mexico, and 2.) have roots in Mexico. Everyone agrees, this place is the real deal.
So no, it’s not Chi-Chi’s or On the Border or any other Mexican chain with all that extra «Mexican» flair. This place gets right to the point with authentic Mexican classics.
Now, I know I’m going to sound like an idiot making the above statement and then posting a picture of fried ice cream (which I realize is totally NOT an authentic Mexican dessert), but, erhm, I suppose some exceptions can be made. After all, General Tso’s is def not a Chinese dish, but you see it at every Chinese restaurant. It’s a fan favorite among us gringos, so I can understand why it’s on the menu.
If you stick with the classics, you can’t go wrong. The enchiladas, burritos, tacos, flautas and soups are all packed with fresh ingredients that make each and every bite a treat.
Most of the best Mexican restaurants are in downtown Reading, so it’s nice to this alternative on the outskirts of the city.
Just beware of the Queso Fundido al Chipotle. The menu describes it as «A fondue of chihuahua cheese and lump crab meat topped with our chipotle sauce and our mango pico de gallo.» Sounds amazing, right? Well, it comes out as a congealed mess. It’s a dip, yet you literally can’t «dip» anything in it. Anything you would attempt to dip in it would break off. the cheese was so hard and thick that nothing could stand up to its clay-​like consistency.

The food was excellent! Very cute atmosphere and very nice server. The only disappointment was that the server offered a «free margarita with purchase of $ 10.99 or an entrée». Being vegetarian the meals I had to choose from did not meet the $ 10.99 amount, so we asked if added a $ 5 app which would have then made my meal a total of $ 14.99 would also get a free margarita and we were told «no»… Didn’t make sense to not offer the free drink when someone was spending more than the required amount total even if their main course did not meet the dollar amount.

I was very disappointed in the quality of the food. The salsa and chips appear to be store bought (or I hope they were for their sake). The service was also slow, considering there was only 2 other tables filled… and our meals were luke-​warm when they arrived. I was really excited to have a nearby Mexican restaurant but this place doesn’t fit the bill for me.

Nice little place, very cozy. Lunch was reasonably priced. Owners were out attending to the clientele which is really nice. Portions were just enough not overwhelming. In my opinion the sauces were kinda bland with no true authentic Mexican flavor. On a better note, the Hortacha was Very good!

This place has great food, but no consistency. My job orders lunch from here all the time. First time we all loved it. After that we noticed they weren’t as generous on their portions. 3 of us ordered guacamole. They only gave us 1 half bag of chips for 3 orders of guac. The Mexican salad was amazing the first time. Every time after that the portion was way smaller and barely any Chipotle dressing. I think we’ll give this place another chance but if they don’t step it up we’ll try somewhere else.

Great little spot in WR. Friendly staff. I ordered some food to go and they put it together pretty quick. Tasted amazing and authentic .
I had the enchiladas verdes.

This place is the real deal. Authentic all the way. Great traditional fare. I ordered the shrimp, beef and chicken fajitas which came with rice, beans, sour cream and a spoonful of tomato-​onion salsa. Guacamole was not included so I ordered it extra. The Guac was fresh and textured. The fajitas came with 4 large shrimp and the beef and chicken was thin and small. The establishment does not serve alcohol. The order came out quick and hot. This would be a great place for lunch.

Delicious homemade Mexican food inspired by the owner’s grandmother’s recipes. The selection of dishes ranges from tacos and fajitas to mole, carnitas, and even breakfast.

The food is delicious & fresh, with a great selection. The service is excellent & friendly. My husband & I will be frequent customers here!

Excellent. Just what was needed in W Reading Delicious fresh Mexican food. It’s a bonus that the beans, rice and sauces are all made vegetarian. It all has great flavor. Dishes range from traditional tacos (choices of carnitas, chorizo, pollo and more) to shrimp dishes, breakfasts dishes, salads and much more. My favorite so far is the enfrijoladas. They also have horchara and other Mexican drinks
Large serving of chips and salsa complementary.
Décor is nice and and comfortable. Plenty of seating for table service or easy take out. Parking lot in back
Owners are very friendly and make the experience perfect.

A MUST!!! This is Outstanding Home Made Mexican Food. I live in West Reading and this is what was missing Authentic Mexican Food within a walking distance. Excellent food at a great price with friendly customer service!!!

I am so happy that West Reading, Pa now has an authentic Mexican restaurant:) and so close to my house too. The food here is so yummy. I will definitely be coming here to get my Mexican food fix.
If you want homemade Mexican food then this place will hit the spot. I recommend it:)